The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a system for providing automated support for the configuration of information handling systems.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems such as, for example, networking devices, often require configuration in order to operate in a desired manner, or to correct issues with their current operation. In many situations, an administrator or user configuring the networking device may need help or support in performing that configuration. One type of support solution that is becoming more and more prevalent is the use of automated configuration support computer programs called “chatbots” that are configured to conduct a simulated human conversation via instant messaging applications in order to provide the help/support needed to configure the networking device. However, the conventional use of chatbot support systems raises a number of issues.
For example, a user configuring a networking device and may begin a network management session (e.g., via a Command Line Interface (CLI) window) between the networking device and their laptop/notebook computer. When configuring a new device or feature, or while experiencing trouble configuring the networking device, the user may then initiate an instant messaging session on their mobile phone with the chatbot support system, and may mirror that instant messaging session on the laptop/notebook computer. The chatbot support system may then send messages during the instant messaging session that request information from the user, and the user may respond by, for example, cutting information from the CLI window used in the network management session being conducted for the networking device, and pasting that information into the instant messaging session. In addition, the user may send queries to the chatbot support system via the instant messaging session, and the chatbot support system may respond to those queries via instant messaging system. Upon receiving the chatbot support system responses, the user must then interpret those responses and translate them into meaningful commands that may be entered into the CLI window used in the network management session in order to attempt to configure the networking device. Such conventional chatbot support systems are time consuming and error prone, requiring the user to interpret messages from a chatbot that may not have a clear view of the network device or the actions the user is currently taking in an attempt to configure that network device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved configuration support system.